A Guide to the 4Cs of Diamonds

An international measure of quality

Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry Read the buying guide

SWAROVSKI CREATED Diamonds

What Are the 4Cs of Diamonds?

The 4Cs stand for color, cut, carat, and clarity. Universally recognized, they are a guiding light in the world of diamonds, helping to determine the quality and value of each stone.

Clarity Principles and Factors

The clarity of a laboratory grown diamond is determined by its flaws. Every stone has inclusions and blemishes that give it unique character and charm, many of which are only visible under a microscope. The diamond clarity scale ranges from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3). At the lower end of the scale, inclusions may affect the diamond’s transparency, brilliance, and durability.

SIMPLY FLAWLESS

Flawless and Internally Flawless (IF) stones are incredibly rare - most mined and laboratory grown diamonds have microscopic inclusions.

VISUALLY PERFECT

While almost all diamonds are flawed, those graded between IF and SI 2 have inclusions that aren’t visible to the naked eye, only under magnification.

Types of Inclusion

Different types of diamond inclusion are categorized as feather, pinpoint, cloud, and metallic. Metallic inclusions are only found in laboratory grown diamonds.

LIGHT PLAY

Extensive inclusions and blemishes (SI and I) are undesirable as they impact the way a diamond absorbs and reflects the light.

I.F.

Internally flawless

VVS 1

VVS 2

Very very slightly included

VS 1

VS 2

Very slightly included

SI 1

SI 2

Slightly included

I 1

I 2

I 3

Included

Laboratory Grown Diamond Clarity Chart

Diamond clarity scale and grades

The diamond clarity scale is used to indicate the purity of a stone based on two naturally occurring characteristics: inclusions and blemishes. The number, nature, size, and location of external (blemishes) and internal (inclusions) features determine a diamond’s clarity rating. Diamond clarity grades are decided under standard viewing conditions with 10x magnification. IF is used to signify an internally flawless diamond while I3 stands for a diamond with obvious and visible inclusions.

What is Diamond Cut?

Cut quality depends on craftsmanship. The term refers to the way each diamond’s facets interact with the light and reveal its internal fire. Cut gives each stone its distinct personality, and perfecting the proportions, symmetry, and precise angles of laboratory grown diamonds ensures they are cut for maximum brilliance.

Cut Principles and Factors

The quality of a laboratory grown diamond cut is based on its proportions, symmetry, and polish. An expert cut results in several perfectly crafted facets that absorb and reflect the light so the stone scintillates from every angle. When assessing cut, graders consider the diamond’s face-up appearance, design, and craftsmanship.

MAXIMUM BRILLIANCE

A diamond cut that is perfectly symmetrical with aligned facets will reflect the light at the highest possible intensity, emitting a powerful shine.

DIAMOND CUT CHART

Diamond cuts are graded by the IGI (International Gemological Institute) on a scale of Excellent to Poor. An excellent cut requires technical mastery, artistry, and expertise.

EVERY FACET

Facet is the term used to describe the flat surfaces that make up the whole of a diamond, each absorbing and dispersing the light differently.

THE BEST CUT

While proportion, symmetry, and polish determine a diamond’s place on the diamond cut table, there is no best cut when it comes to a stone that sparks joy.

Laboratory Grown Diamond Shapes

Swarovski Created Diamonds collections feature a range of different laboratory grown diamond shapes and cuts. The shape of a laboratory grown diamond refers to its outline or external form when viewed from above. Cut is a marker of quality, reflecting how well the stone has been faceted and polished as well as how the angles and proportions of each facet have been crafted to interact with the light. Choose one of our Swarovski Created Diamonds shapes to reflect your individual style and, as each stone is cut for brilliance, it will add luminosity to any look.

OCTAGON

Our proprietary Octagon cut has a brilliance and fire that defies expectation. Crafted with 57 facets, the cut symbolizes infinity, rebirth, and good fortune.

HEART

Heart-shaped laboratory grown diamonds are traditionally associated with love, passion, and romance. A bold and modern choice.

PEAR

Also known as a teardrop cut, pear diamond cuts are graceful yet dramatic thanks to their distinctive curved base and sharp point.

ROUND

The round cut is one of the most popular diamond cuts available, known for its timeless radiance, elegance, and long-lasting appeal.

SOLITAIRE

Solitaire refers to a diamond design that features only a single stone. Solitaires can be cut into several shapes including round, oval, Princess, and cushion cuts.

MIXED

Mixed diamond cuts refer to pieces of fine jewelry featuring two or more different types of cut that come together to form captivating combinations.

Color Principles and Factors

The most desirable diamond color is no color at all. Colorless stones are highly prized but they are also extremely rare, whereas lower quality diamonds can have a yellow or brown tone. The diamond color scale ranges from D to Z and Swarovski Created Diamonds collections only use laboratory grown diamonds with a color rating of D-G.

COMPLETE CLARITY

Truly colorless diamonds are rare. Rated D on the color scale, ice white stones are also the most expensive diamond color to buy.

FIND YOUR SHADE

An Ice White or D rated diamond may not be the right shade for your style. Consider a near colorless stone for a warmer glow.

CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT

Diamond color grade is assessed under controlled lighting in a laboratory. The stone is placed face down and master samples are used for comparison.

FREE FROM DEFECTS

Laboratory grown diamonds crafted from high quality carbon seeds do not include intentional blemishes or color defects.

Colorless

D-F

Near colorless

G-J

Slightly tinted

K-M

Very light color

N-R

Light color

S-Z

Diamond color scale

Diamond color is rated on a scale from D to Z. D to F are used to denote colorless stones, while those in the S to Z categories appear in shades of light yellow or brown. Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry only uses the finest laboratory grown diamonds, meaning they range from colorless to near colorless (D-G).

What is Diamond Carat Weight?

A carat is a unit of weight used to measure precious stones including laboratory grown diamonds. When comparing diamonds, one can have a higher carat without appearing larger, and two diamonds with the same carat weight can vary in size if one is cut deeper than the other. One carat weighs one-fifth of a gram and can be divided into 100 points.

2.5 mm

0.05 CT

3.0 mm

0.10 CT

3.8 mm

0.20 CT

4.5 mm

0.30 CT

4.8 mm

0.40 CT

5.2 mm

0.50 CT

5.8 mm

0.70 CT

6.3 mm

0.90 CT

6.5 mm

1.00 CT

6.9 mm

1.25 CT

7.4 mm

1.50 CT

7.8 mm

1.75 CT

8.2 mm

2.00 CT

8.8 mm

2.50 CT

9.4 mm

3.00 CT

Diamond Carat Weight Chart

Laboratory grown diamond carat scale

Carats are the international standard unit of measurement for the weight of a diamond. It derives from the word ‘carob’, a seed that was used as a diamond weight reference for traders in the ancient world. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams so a five carat diamond will weigh one gram. Diamond carat doesn’t equate to the size of a stone, it simply refers to how much it weighs, and diamonds usually become more expensive as their carat weight increases.

Quality Assured

Every laboratory grown diamond set in Swarovski Created Diamonds fine jewelry is assessed and certified by the IGI (International Gemological Institute), using the universally recognized 4Cs. The cut, clarity, color, and carat of each stone determines its quality and worth. Swarovski only uses high quality laboratory grown diamonds rated G+ in color and VS+ in clarity.

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All About Swarovski Created Diamonds

Dive deeper into the world of Swarovski Created Diamonds. Explore collections that shine with traditional elegance to ones that take a fresh approach to diamond design.

Laboratory Grown Diamonds Buying Guide

Swarovski Created Diamonds fine jewelry collections feature distinctive designs that pair masterfully cut laboratory grown diamonds with precious metals.

Read our laboratory grown diamonds buying guide

What Are Laboratory Grown Diamonds?

Learn more about how diamonds can be grown in laboratory conditions using intense heat and pressure to perfectly replicate nature’s process.

Find out more about laboratory grown diamonds

Frequently asked questions

Diamond 4Cs FAQs

What are the 4Cs?

Every diamond varies slightly from the next and has its own individual distinguishing characteristics. Laboratory grown diamonds are 100% diamonds, and just like mined diamonds our laboratory grown diamonds are evaluated according to the 4Cs of diamond grading. The 4Cs are color, clarity, cut and carat weight, and they are the globally accepted standards used to assess the quality of diamonds.

Is diamond clarity important?

The higher the clarity grading, the less inclusions or blemishes a diamond has, making it a higher-value diamond than one with a lower grading.

What is the highest diamond clarity?

Diamond clarity is a measure of the purity of the stone graded by the visibility of two types of characteristics - inclusions and blemishes.
In order to assess clarity, the diamond is inspected under 10x power magnification. The number and nature of external (blemishes), and internal characteristics (inclusions), as well as their size and position, determine the grade.
Gemologists grade diamonds from Internally Flawless (IF) as the highest quality to Included (I3).

Are laboratory grown diamonds flawless?

No, nearly all diamonds (mined or laboratory grown) have inclusions. Metallic inclusions can occur in laboratory grown diamonds. If an expert spots a trace of metal in a diamond, they can assume it is laboratory grown. While laboratory grown diamonds with defects do exist, Swarovski only uses high quality laboratory grown diamonds certified by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) according to the 4Cs to ensure that only the finest quality diamonds join the Swarovski Created Diamond collections.

Do laboratory grown diamonds get cloudy?

No, laboratory-grown diamonds do not get cloudy over time. They are 100% identical to diamonds with the same physical and chemical properties, and should not degrade or change appearance over time. Where poor quality diamond seeds have been used, some laboratory-grown diamonds contain obvious defects, such as color tinges from impurities in the diamond or crystal structure imperfections. The laboratory grown diamonds processed in Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry are a very high quality standard and do not have unnatural, problematic characteristics.

How are laboratory grown diamonds certified and graded?

The laboratory grown diamonds processed in Swarovski Created Diamonds jewelry are hand-selected and examined by experienced gemologists to ensure they fulfill our high quality standards. Every piece of jewelry in the Galaxy and Eternity collections is accompanied with a digital laboratory report from the International Gemological Institute (IGI).

What are diamond facets?

Le sfaccettature del diamante si riferiscono ad ognisuperficie piana che crea la forma di un diamante. Ogni diamante presenta molteplici sfaccettature che gli consentono di assorbire e riflettere la luce.

Come si determina la qualità del taglio del diamante?

Spesso si pensa al taglio di un diamante come alla sua forma (rotonda, a cuore, ovale, marchesa, pera), ma il taglio del diamante si riferisce in realtà alla qualità dell’interazione delle sue sfaccettature con la luce. Il taglio di un diamante è la sintesi della qualità della forma, della geometria e della finitura del diamante. I diamanti rotondi e brillanti vengono classificati formalmente su una scala che varia da Ideal (il migliore) a Poor (di scarsa qualità). Swarovski non scende a compromessi quando si tratta della qualità del taglio e garantisce che tutti i nostri diamanti creati in laboratorio offrano una resa di luce e una brillantezza ottimali.

Qual è il miglior taglio di diamante?

Il taglio si riferisce al modo in cui le sfaccettature del diamante interagiscono con la luce per rivelarne il fulgore interiore. Il taglio conferisce ad ogni diamante una personalità unica, mentre il perfezionamento delle proporzioni, la simmetria e le angolazioni tagliate con precisione degli Swarovski Created Diamonds conferiscono loro una brillante lucentezza. Il taglio migliore presenta un equilibrio tra larghezza e profondità per creare simmetria; inoltre, non è né troppo superficiale né troppo profondo, ma crea il punto perfetto di rifrazione della luce attraverso il diamante, riflettendola all'interno dello stesso e mettendone in evidenza la brillante lucidatura.

Come viene determinato il colore di un diamante?

Il colore si riferisce alla tinta naturale inerente ai diamanti bianchi. Lo standard industriale per la classificazione del colore consiste nel valutare ogni diamante rispetto a un set di riferimento e nell’assegnare un voto in lettere da D (incolore) a Z (giallo chiaro).
Più il diamante si avvicina all'incolore, più la sua qualità è elevata.

I diamanti creati in laboratorio presentano imperfezioni?

Se sono stati utilizzati semi di diamante di scarsa qualità, alcuni diamanti creati in laboratorio presentano difetti evidenti, come sfumature di colore dovute a impurità o imperfezioni strutturali. Swarovski non commercializza diamanti creati in laboratorio che presentano caratteristiche innaturali e problematiche.

Che cos’è il peso in carati del diamante?

Il carato è l’unità utilizzata specificamente per determinare il peso delle pietre preziose, compresi i diamanti creati in laboratorio. Un diamante può avere un peso in carati superiore senza per questo essere di dimensioni maggiori, e due diamanti dello stesso peso in carati possono avere dimensioni diverse se uno viene tagliato più in profondità dell’altro. Un carato pesa un quinto di grammo ed è suddiviso in 100 punti.

Che cos’è il peso in carati di un diamante, come si misura e quanto è importante?

Il peso in carati è l’unità di peso standard dei diamanti e la prima caratteristica che viene presa in considerazione per il processo di valutazione. Il peso in carati del diamante è la determinazione del peso del diamante. Ogni carato può essere suddiviso in 100 “punti”. Ciò consente misurazioni precise al centesimo decimale. Il peso di un diamante inferiore a un carato può essere definito esclusivamente dai suoi “punti”. Più grande è il diamante, maggiori saranno i carati, ma solo tu puoi decidere che importanza dare alla grandezza.

È meglio avere un diamante di caratura superiore?

Questa è una questione del tutto personale. Se desideri un diamante più grande, opta per una caratura superiore poiché questa indica il peso e quindi la dimensione del diamante.